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CITIZENS & MERCHANTS BANKWEST GA’S LARGEST HOME FINANCING SOURCE

Citizens & Merchants Bank is a full service bank serving Douglas County since 1987. We are pleased to help each and every one of our customers with service above and beyond what you’d expect in a traditional bank.

Whether you are planning to purchase your first home, move up to a larger home or refinance your existing home, Citizens & Merchants Bank stands ready to serve you. Citizens & Merchants, along with Synovus Mortgage, is one of the premium Home Mortgage Lenders in West Georgia with a plan that will fit your budget. Call Brenda Pilgram to pre-qualify before you start house shopping at:

(770) 577-3517 Ext. 14.

We hope you will give us the privilege of helping you in the future. You can bank on us to meet your financial goals.

Our bank was founded 10 years ago and grew and evolved as a business bank. We carved out a niche early on. We have not tried to compete with the Atlanta banks, the North Carolina banks, and the Alabama banks by having a branch system because that wasn’t the niche we wanted to be in.

That’s why we operated for 10 years with just one location.

“Because a small business person will go out of their way to bank with someone who gives them good service, we haven’t had to have a branch network,” said Citizens & Merchants President Ken Barber.

“However, because the bank has grown to over $70 million in total assets, and we have a broader base of customers, we’ve had more people ask us to go to the south side of the county. We felt that this new office had to be located there. We will, however, be putting other offices up in other areas of the county.”

But as we expand and grow with Douglas County, you’ll find one thing will to never change about C&M: our commitment to community banking, our commitment to the small business owner, and our commitment to people.

“More than anything, we feel like we’ve been able to grow faster than most of our competition because of our niche: serving the small business and the owners and employees of those small businesses,” said Barber.

“We do want more consumer business; and we expect to get it with the branch. But that will just augment what we already have in small business.”

C&M Vice President Ned Fowler said the principles laid out by the people who founded the bank will continue to serve the bank in the future.

“There was a commitment by the board to do what it takes to make banking a success. And that is community,” said Fowler. “You pay attention to your customers; you service your customers.”

But C&M customers have another asset in their corner. Two years ago, the bank became part of the Columbus, Ga. based Synovus Financial Corporation. Bank customers can now count on having the resources of a large, successful banking network behind them without losing the special relationship they already have with C&M.

C&M Vice President Larry Smith believes the combination gives the bank’s customers the best of both worlds.

“Our success, and what drives this organization, is the response to community requests and the ability to make decisions in Douglasville,” said Smith. “Synovus enabled us to have the resources of a four state regional banking organization behind us, but they don’t impose their will on how we perform.

Smith said that C&M goes to great lengths to make every customer feel right at home.

“Both of our locations are designed to not look like a sterile banking environment”, explained Smith. `

“When you walk in, you don’t automatically think you’re in a bank lobby. It’s more like a living room in a private home.”

“If you have been in our lobby more than once or twice, people are going to call you by name, ask about your children, or how your vacation was. We know our customers.”